Davis budgets funds to
counter DMV fraud
GOVERNMENT: He proposes $13.3 million
to shore up security against driver's license
theft.
January 12, 2001
By KIMBERLY KINDY
The Orange County Register
The Department of Motor Vehicles would receive $13.3
million to enact sweeping reforms to combat driver's
license fraud under Gov. Gray Davis' proposed 2001-02
budget.
The money would be aimed at improving security at the
department's 170 field offices, which issue as many as
100,000 fraudulent licenses annually to identity thieves,
illegal immigrants and criminals to create new identities.
Some go on to commit financial crimes.
The money would be used to finance the following
technology and staff:
$7.7 million for a computerized biometric-based
identification system that would use a computer
mapping program to identify motorists by both their
facial dimensions as well as thumbprints.
About $2.2 million to upgrade computer lines in all
DMV offices so the computer searches for facial and
thumbprint images could be completed in minutes,
allowing criminals to be caught at the counter.
$1.6 million for 21 new positions to help operate the
new equipment so customers' stay in line won't be
dramatically lengthened.
$1.2 million for additional staff to expand investigations
into DMV employees suspected of selling fraudulent
licenses to criminals.
$592,000 for video surveillance systems that would
track employee and customer activities to catch crooked
clerks and to assist with the apprehension of criminals.
About 70 percent of offices now have some cameras.
Additional ones could be added in those and the
remaining 30 percent would have systems installed.
"It's a recognition that in today's high-tech world,
identity theft and fraud is a serious problem,'' said Davis
spokeswoman Hilary McLean. "The governor
recognizes that and is allocating significant resources to
combat it."
Also on Thursday, state Sen. Betty Karnette, D-Long
Beach, called for an legislative audit of the DMV. She
said a Senate hearing in November did not provide her
and other lawmakers with a clear picture of the security
problems within the department.
"This will give us an outside evaluation that I think we
really need,'' said Karnette.
The specific DMV allocation is part of an overall
commitment of $85 million in Davis' budget to combat
high-tech crimes, including identity theft. The budget
must be approved by the Legislature before the funding
would be released to the department, but DMV Director
Steven Gourley said he is hopeful.
"We received what we asked for ... this should cover
the costs. I'm cautiously optimistic. The whole issue
needs to be discussed by the Legislature,'' Gourley said.
"The policy issues have to be discussed. I am hoping it
will be possible. We hope people will understand - we
are trying to protect their identity."
The DMV announced reforms to fight the fraud in
October after an Orange County Register investigation
revealed the fraudulent license problem.
Prior to the Register investigation, the department
frequently failed to request identification of driver's
license applicants and they never checked the Social
Security number listed on the application. This made it
easy for criminals to secure licenses that didn't belong to
them.
One of the most high profile cases involved Tiger
Woods. The golfer had his identity stolen when the
DMV issued a license to Anthony Lemar Taylor in the
name of Eldrick Terrale Woods, according to court
records. Taylor then used Woods' credit to make
$17,000 in purchases before he was caught. He was
convicted last month in a Sacramento courthouse.
Internal DMV documents show the department
administrators knew of the security problems in issuing
driver's licenses for over a decade, but nothing was
done because, in part, officials were concerned extra
security measures would add to the waiting time in
already long lines.
So far, the new reforms have added an average four
minutes wait in DMV lines and cost the department $3
million to $4 million, but officials say it's worth it and
hope customers understand.
The department continues to add and expand reforms.
Currently, DMV is checking its database of photos
every time a motorist seeks a duplicate in cases where
it's been lost or stolen.
In about 30 percent of the cases, the license has been
damaged and motorists are able to present it to DMV
clerks to prove their identity.
With the other 70 percent, DMV clerks check the photo
in their computer database to confirm the applicant's
identity. If the clerk is unable to make a determination
by the photograph, the application is sent to the main
office in Sacramento where a series of checks are run to
verify the applicant's identity.
The DMV also started sending letters to driver's license
and identification card applicants when their Social
Security numbers don't match with the names they
provide to the DMV.
For previous Register stories on fraud and the DMV,
please go to:
www.ocregister.com/politics/features/2000/dmv/
ocregister.com
steve |
